Jag tycker att äggen smakar ganska bra idag.

I think the eggs taste quite good today.

Breakdown of Jag tycker att äggen smakar ganska bra idag.

• jag: I
• idag: today
• bra: good
• tycka: to think
• att: that
• ägget: the egg
• smaka: to taste
• ganska: quite

Questions & Answers about Jag tycker att äggen smakar ganska bra idag.

What’s the difference between tycker and tror here?

• tycker = I think/in my opinion (a subjective judgment), perfect for opinions about taste/quality.
  • Example: Jag tycker att filmen är bra. = In my opinion, the movie is good.
• tror = I believe/expect (a belief about facts or predictions).
  • Example: Jag tror att filmen är bra. = I believe the movie is good (maybe I haven’t seen it).
• A formal alternative for opinions is anser (I consider), but it’s more formal/written.

Why is att there, and can I drop it?

• att is the complementizer “that,” introducing the clause att äggen smakar....
• In everyday speech, Swedes often drop it after verbs like tycker, tror, säger:
  • Jag tycker (att) äggen smakar ganska bra idag.
• In writing (and in careful speech) it’s common and slightly safer to keep att.

What word order rules apply after att?

• After att, you’re in a subordinate clause. Swedish does NOT use V2 there.
• Order is Subject–(sentence adverb)–Finite verb:
  • att äggen inte smakar bra (Subject = äggen, sentence adverb = inte, verb = smakar)
• Compare a main clause: Idag smakar äggen bra (V2: verb in second position).

Why is it äggen (the definite plural) and not ägg?

• äggen = “the eggs,” used when specific eggs are meant (e.g., the ones we’re eating).
• ägg (without an ending) can be either singular or plural indefinite “egg/eggs” depending on context.
• Full paradigm:
  • singular indefinite: ett ägg
  • singular definite: ägget
  • plural indefinite: ägg
  • plural definite: äggen

Does the verb smakar agree with plural äggen?

• No. Swedish present tense verbs don’t change for person/number.
• smakar is used for both singular and plural:
  • Ägget smakar bra.
  • Äggen smakar bra.

Should I say smakar bra or smakar gott?

• Both are idiomatic. Nuance:
  • smakar gott is more food-specific “tastes good/tasty.”
  • smakar bra is more general “tastes good/OK,” also used with non-food verbs like låter bra “sounds good.”
• You can also say ganska gott instead of ganska bra for a more culinary feel.

What exactly does ganska mean here?

• ganska = fairly/pretty/quite (moderate strength).
• It’s weaker than väldigt/jätte- and stronger than lite.
• Near-synonyms: rätt (så), hyfsat (colloquial), tämligen (formal).

Where can I put idag, and does it change word order?

• Common options:
  • Jag tycker att äggen smakar ganska bra idag. (neutral)
  • Idag tycker jag att äggen smakar ganska bra. (fronted time = verb-second in main clause: verb tycker comes before jag)
  • Jag tycker att äggen idag smakar ganska bra. (possible; slightly more written/emphatic)
• If you start with Idag, remember Swedish V2: Idag tycker jag... not “Idag jag tycker...”

How do I negate this naturally?

• Neutral “I don’t think …”: Jag tycker inte att äggen smakar särskilt bra idag.
  • Here inte negates the main-clause verb tycker.
• If you want to assert the negation inside the subordinate clause (focus on the eggs’ taste):
  • Jag tycker att äggen inte smakar särskilt bra idag.
• In subclauses, sentence adverbs (like inte) come before the finite verb: att äggen inte smakar...

How is tycker att different from tycker om?

• tycker att
  • clause = “think that” (opinion about a proposition).
    • Jag tycker att äggen smakar bra.
• tycker om
  • noun/verb = “like” (have a liking for).
    • Jag tycker om ägg. (I like eggs)
    • Jag tycker om att äta ägg. (I like to eat eggs)

Do I need a comma before att?

• No. Swedish typically does not use a comma before att that introduces a content clause.
• So: Jag tycker att äggen smakar… (no comma).

Any pronunciation tips for these words?

• Jag: often [jaː] in speech; the final g is weak or silent for many speakers.
• tycker: [ˈtʏkːɛr]; y is like French u/ German ü; ck = a hard long k.
• att: [at]; short, with a clear t.
• äggen: [ˈɛɡːɛn]; ä like “e” in “bed” but more open; double gg = long g.
• smakar: [ˈsmɑːkar]; long a as in “father.”
• ganska: [ˈɡanska]; hard g.
• bra: [brɑː]; long a.
• idag/i dag: [ɪˈdɑːɡ] or [iˈdɑːɡ]; both spellings are accepted.

Is it okay to drop att and say this in a more colloquial way?

• Yes: Jag tycker äggen smakar ganska bra idag. is very common in speech.
• Other natural variants:
  • Idag smakar äggen ganska gott, tycker jag.
  • Äggen smakar rätt bra idag, tycker jag.

Can I express the same idea without smakar?

• Yes, using the adjective “good/tasty” directly:
  • Jag tycker att äggen är goda idag. (plural agreement: goda)
  • Neutral/colloquial: Jag tycker att äggen är ganska goda idag.
• With bra, remember it doesn’t inflect: you wouldn’t say “braa/goda”—only bra; but with god you do inflect: god/gott/goda.